


one breath in a chain of thought

by stellarisms



Series: it goes like this (the minor fall, the major lift)。 [6]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Companion Piece, Eavesdropping, Implied Relationships, Missing Scene, Nonbinary Character, Other, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 15:43:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7720495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarisms/pseuds/stellarisms
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They don’t have the kind of nose for pheromones like Mike or the natural human intuition Zoë possesses.  But it doesn’t bother Nanaba, not when they have a talent that none of the other Scouting Legion officers possess.</p><p>Keen listening ears.</p>
            </blockquote>





	one breath in a chain of thought

**Author's Note:**

> Posting this in an attempt to return to a much-missed, much-beloved muse of my earliest writing endeavors :'>
> 
> Set somewhere within the IGLT universe, specifically during Chapter 28 of the main story's happenings, but not required reading (probably?) for new readers!

 

They don’t have the kind of nose for pheromones like Mike or the natural human intuition Zoë possesses.

But it doesn’t bother Nanaba, not when they have a talent that none of the other Scouting Legion officers possess.

Keen listening ears.

The metallic clang of bullet shells and fallen tags. 

The pitch changes in a professional (or, as the case often was, amateur) street show performance. 

The distinction and meanings behind human biological reactions, of circulation cycles and respiration rhythms and the audible telltale signs of a person’s heartbeat changing in response to various stimuli. 

The tonal quality of different voices.

“You’re always doing that."  They pause, turning back to the closed door of Erwin’s office a scant glance past their shoulder.  "Looking out for me.  Taking care of me.”  So quiet, so hesitant, they almost don’t catch the latter part:  “It’s annoying.”

But Nanaba can decipher that voice – as they have so many times before in tea breaks and conversations in passing – all too well.

"Am _I_ annoying?"  Faint pause, curiosity, evidence of an Upper Sina accent– Nanaba knows this voice, too.  The way Mister Smith speaks in private is a world away from his Commander persona.

"No."  Of course, Nanaba’s lips twitch, his Captain’s voice no sooner carries its wary weight here.  "You are when you treat me like I’m still that kid who ran into you in that alleyway, but not always.”

“Not always."  Nanaba stifles a muted peal of laughter from Erwin’s amused repetition and the pause that echoes from the half-open door to the corridor, "I don’t think of you as a child, Levi.  Far from it.”

 _An absolute gentleman as usual,_ Nanaba realizes,  _Mister Smith._

But it’s a more unsteady quiet that follows, an uncomfortable one. 

A nervous one.

Though they probably shouldn’t, Nanaba leans against the wall to linger. Just a bit longer, they think. 

Maybe they’ll hear something worthwhile to bring up at their next tea talk with Levi. 

Something that’ll clear the air of Mike’s dropped hints and Zoë’s insistence that Erwin’s been ‘a changed man’ since he’s recruited Levi into the military.

Something that’ll either confirm or deny Nanaba’s suspicions that started from Levi’s protectiveness over Erwin during his three-day comatose state and general high praise for the Commander when prompted – and not.

 

* * *

 

Something hits the floor, then, a _thud_ that joins a rejoinder quick.  

“I’m not a child,” Levi’s cadence is adamant.  Determined.  He speaks sure and steady, letting the declaration sink into the resettling silence.  “I’m not your pet.  Or your pawn.  Or any of the other shit nicknames people’ve given me.”

That, at least, Nanaba can certainly relate to from their days back in the trainee corps. 

Rumors spreading, almost unfounded, fanned by noncompliance. 

The awful nicknames _._

'Circus freak.' 

'Crossdresser.' 

'Tranny.’

Misunderstandings based in a crime not at all unlike ignorance.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s hard to ignore, however, the shushing noise of fabric slinking and sliding.

Harder still to ignore the sound of impact that causes Erwin to let out an uncharacteristically startled noise, as if he’s been pushed down with the force.

And then, Nanaba hears it, hyper-aware of all the sounds transposed in the taut stillness, they hear in the most guttural tone they’ve ever heard from Levi:

“But I’ll do it."  It has nothing on Mike’s sinful baritone (reserved for moments when Nanaba’s almost sure is flirting, almost sure means he’s just as interested in them as they’ve been in him from the start of their friendship and beyond) but– well, that was another matter entirely.  "On one condition.”

Nanaba slithers against the nearby wall and peeks inside.

_Holy Wall Maria Almighty, I never would’ve guessed our Little Levi was the one would be the one on_ **_top_ ** _–_

“Anything for you."  If the taller one’s vague grin isn’t enough to add to the absolute vision they make, legs entwined and forms flush on that leather couch, there’s a very purposeful hand sneaking up to rest on the swell of Levi’s hip as they watch Erwin meet Levi’s gaze with an indulgent, "My dear Captain.”

Nanaba nearly shrieks aloud when Levi pulls away.

And picks up the laundry basket from the floor.

And proceeds to start _walking away_ from a wide-eyed and obviously bewildered Erwin _._

“While we’re in the city,” Levi plunges on, disappearing into the back rooms of Erwin’s private quarters, “buy yourself a set of matching socks.  And underwear, too.  As it is, these probably aren’t gonna last you through the winter at the rate you’re wearing through them.  Oh, and we’re definitely ordering new uniforms for the Spring, since those things are looking damn ragged lately…”

 

* * *

 

By the time Nanaba turns and walks away, it’s after fifteen seconds of struggling to breathe that they turn the nearest corner.

Running headlong into, of course, the last person they hoped to find on a snowed-in day like this.

“Nana,” Mike keeps them from tipping over, though, even if he looks terribly confused about the younger one’s expression, “are you okay?”

“ _No_ ,” Nanaba lets out in a pained sort of sputter, snort, and proceeds to turn into a hysterical laugh: “No, I’m totally not okay, because I swear to all the Walls that if Mister Smith doesn’t die of blue balls over this trip to the Capital, I’m gonna guess—”

“–So Levi agreed to go with him?"  Mike looks almost as proud as Nanaba feels.  "Three hundred gild I’ll hear all the dirty details about their first night together before you.”

“Five hundred,” Nanaba challenges, suddenly up in ante and up to offering a sudden smile between their winded giggles, “since I bet Levi’ll tell me first.”

“Deal,” Mike smirks – and Nanaba, ever the keen listener, knows Mike well enough to know he’s nothing less than serious.

 


End file.
